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8/20/2012 - Sample Asheville's best at Wine and Food Festival by Amanda Phipps

Visitors can meet renowned chefs while enjoying tasty treats and music during Asheville, N.C's fourth annual Wine and Food Festival from Thursday through Saturday.

Festival founder and director Bob Bowles created the festival in 2009 to celebrate local chefs, wineries and farmers, according to the festival's website. He said the goal of the festival is to "promote local agriculture, particularly wineries," and local food producers.

The 2012 festival is sponsored by WNC magazine and has been named one of eight most original festivals in the U.S. by the New York Post, Bowles said.

With visitors ranging from the cast of "The Hunger Games" to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, The Huffington Post named Asheville, N.C., one of the "Top 10 Undiscovered Local Food Cities," according to the festival's website.

Festival guests can enjoy three days of indulgence in the best foods in the heart of downtown Asheville.

Events include the third annual Chef's Challenge finals at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Century Room on the Park, above Pack's Tavern, 20 S. Spruce St. Four of the top chefs from 14 teams across North Carolina will compete for the title of Best Chef in Western North Carolina and a winner will be revealed. Challenge finale tickets are $99 and include six plated dinners from the chefs and two drinks, wine or beer.

The four remaining teams are returning champion Nate Allen of Knife & Fork, Stewart Lyon of Boca, David Ryba of Inn on Biltmore Estate and Jason Roy of Lexington Avenue Brewery.

Judges include John Batchelor, restaurant critic for the Greensboro News and Record; Southern Living Magazine senior food writer Donna Florio; Mackensy Lunsford, food writer for Asheville's Mountain Xpress; and founder of the Seasonal School of Culinary Arts Susi Gott Seguret.

From 7:30 to 10 p.m. Friday at The Grove Arcade, 1 Page Ave., guests can taste desserts, sparkling and dessert wines and cocktails from 27 of the area's chocolatiers and dessert makers, while enjoying music by Kat Williams during SWEET. Tickets are $35.

From 1:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday, guests can taste more than 300 wines and sample local foods, such as Lusty Monk Mustard during the Grand Tasting in the U.S. Cellular Center, 87 Haywood St. General admission is $45.

VIP passes are $65 and provide early entry to the tasting at noon and access to the VIP lounge, where wine and food will be served.

During the tasting, guests can watch the final judging of the Amateur Wine Marker Competition at 1 p.m. The competition "helps a lot of people who may not be commercial wine makers to understand how appreciated their wines are," Bowles said.

Culinary Demonstrations will be held from 1:30 to 4 p.m.

The first Local Spirits Mixology Competition is at 2 p.m. during the Grand Tasting. Each contestant will have 10 minutes to prepare a cocktail using no more than six ingredients. They will be judged on eco-friendly awareness, originality, presentation, name of cocktail and taste. The winner will join winners from other contests in a master distilling class and barrel-tasting weekend at the Troy & Sons Distillery in Asheville.

"The Local Spirits Mixology Contest provides a great opportunity to showcase creativity and skill in bartending," Marco Garcia, event director and mixology master at Sazerac, a downtown Asheville cocktail bar, said in a written statement. "We're looking forward to watching these competitors turn fresh ingredients into innovative signature cocktails to become the Local Spirits winner."

The Fashion and Food Runway which starts at 3 p.m. will feature the latest culinary designs for chefs and dinner ware by designers such as Sandra Hardy.

Guests can meet some of Western North Carolina's top culinary authors during the book signing beginning at 3:30 p.m. Authors include Ashley English, who is author of the "Homemad e Living" book series, and Debby Maugans, author of "Small-Batch Baking." The festival ends at 5 p.m.

The festival benefits the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project's Growing Minds Farm-to-School Program, which provides resources and training to farmers, chefs, school nutrition staff, parents and teachers. The organization is dedicated to educating children where their food comes from and helping people to develop healthy eating habits.

After guests have their fill of wine, Bowles encourages them to visit downtown restaurants and "enjoy all that Asheville has to offer."

Testimonials

"Sean was a dream. He made this easy and he worked really hard for us! Sean Mack was professional, friendly, attentive, hard working and kind throughout our whole process. He completely understood what we wanted and worked hard to show us the best houses he could find. He went beyond any expectation. Sean truly made this fun and kept our momentum going even in this tough market. We trusted him every step of the way. I would (and do!) recommend him to everyone looking for a home. In the end that is what he did, found our [...]

"Mary MacManus is the best agènt I've ever worked with. She is professional, informed, reliable, and easy to work with. She has helped our family buy or sell several properties over the years, and we are planning to use her again this spring. It's very reassuring to be able to work with someone so capable." ~Joan

"My husband Pat and I just purchased a home. We had the excellent guidance of Leah Miller. She showed us more than 40 homes over multiple days. When we did decide on a home there were many extra concerns as it was being sold "AS IS" and was previously a rental. She met many contractors and inspectors during the due diligence period. I hope not to have to buy again any time soon but if we do we will definitely use Leah Miller again." ~ Martha S.

"I had struggled with getting a house under contract for some time before I switched to working with Kat. Within 2 months of making the switch I was under contract with a house I wanted for my home. Thank you Kat!!!"

"I loved working with Kat, she is easy to talk to and straight forward. I would highly recommend using her! Our family is so happy to have found her!"

"Justin was fantastic! Easy to communicate with and readily available whenever we needed him. Thanks! We love our new home!" ~ Laura T.

"Aviva was a pleasure to work with. My husband and I are first time home buyers, new to North Carolina. Aviva was instrumental to our understanding of the home-buying process, Asheville’s personality and even services needed around the Asheville area (doctors, veterinarian, mechanic, accountant… the list goes on). We relied heavily on her advice and we really trusted her. We found she was willing to go the extra mile and was always very prompt about all she helped us with. She was enthusiastic and cheerful and I even had fun! I would definitely recommend working with [...]

"Luiz Leonetti was helpful and professional during the whole process. We're truly satisfied!" ~ Fabiana R.

"After a negative experience with another local relator, a friend who bought her home with Robbie recommended Robbie to us and we are so glad we followed her advice! Robbie was very knowledgeable, attentive to details, and guided us through every step. He has a keen eye for spotting potential issues with homes and he has a wealth of knowledge about the market, home construction, and the offer and loan process. He is easy going and has a professional, friendly personality. As first time home buyers, no question we asked was ever "dumb" and he willingly explained information without [...]

"Working with Jody Whitehurst is a pleasurable experience. He is more knowledgeable than most realtors. He knows how to price a home in the correct fashion, as well as write a description that e ntices buyers. He sold my personal home, and I could not have been more pleased with the outcome. I would recommend Jody to anyone looking for a top notch realtor!" ~ Bradley R.

"I contacted Lorraine to ask for assistance in buying a home in Asheville. We are planning to relocate there from Wisconsin, so based on a recommendation we chose Lorraine. I knew immediately from our first conversation that we had made the perfect choice. She was given only a couple of days advance notice that I would be down the following Monday to begin my active search for homes. She made the time to spend 2 full days showing me asheville and helping me to become more familiar with the area. Following our initial talk on the phone, she went to work right away for us. She [...]

"Gretchen was wonderful to work with! I was so lucky to work with her as she really listened to what was important to me and moved quickly when it mattered most, landing me in the house that fits me perfectly after only 2 days on the market. I would recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell because she really knows the market as well as the industry." ~ Shannon C.

"My husband and I are in the process of relocating to Asheville to be near relatives. Lorraine could not have been the more perfect agent to help us with this relocation. She is FULL of energy, knows the region and is one of the friendliest and most flexible agents that you could meet! We started looking at homes, but switched to properties, which had Lorraine adjusting quickly! She didn't skip a beat, and we found a lovely property near town. I will never forget watching Lorraine hiking the property, describing its potential! Lorraine was savvy in negotiations, with her strong [...]

{ Justin, Some people just seem to have a special gift for sharing their hearts in the most amazing ways. For them, it's never about being noticed for their acts of kindness... it's simply a reflection of the generous spirit that guides then in everything they do. } "Justin, The front of the card says it all. This is what we see in you. You are the best! Thank you for being such a special part in our new journey. We so appreciate your hard work, time, calls, texting and most importantly, [...]

"Lorraine is the greatest!!! We live in upstate NY and plan to relocate to the Asheville, NC area. Lorraine is making the relocation process go so smoothly. Before meeting her in person we communicated via email, phone and text. Once we arrived in Asheville, Lorraine spent 2 days taking us around the area showing us houses. We are so lucky to have found Lorraine and highly recommend her to anyone looking for a real estate agent who is extremely knowledgeable, goes the extra mile and is very personable."

“Madison helped me tweak my opinion of Real Estate Agents because she listened to what I said I needed and found properties that fit my list and budget! Even when I withdrew an offer on a property, Madison said she wanted me to make sure I loved the home I purchased and she would keep working with me to find what I needed. Fast forward a few months: I am living in a home that really supports my family in a beautiful lake community that I didn’t even know existed until she took us for a showing. I was highly impressed by her integrity, knowledge of Asheville and the surrounding [...]

~ Ann P

"Gretchen was awesome. Thank you so much for your help purchasing our new home! We love it, and the process was easy compared to what I was expecting. You were endlessly helpful and walked us through the process in a clear, concise way. Thanks for putting in so much time and effort with us! You're the best!" ~ Caroline

"Andy was an invaluable resource during our home buying experience and made sure we were informed during every step of the way. He served as a great negotiator on our behalf, made sure all of our paperwork was complete and on schedule, and was always quick to respond to any questions we had. He was also great to just discuss our needs and how individual properties could or could not meet them. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to make a home purchase in the Asheville Area! Very happy with his responsiveness, willingness to discuss issues, and flexibility to meet my needs. Andy [...]

"Dear Jessi & Luiz,
Mountains of thanks! I am so thankful to have you as an agent.I couldn't have done it without you! Your expert advice and quick response to all of my questions were greatly appreciated. I couldn't be more pleased with the end result!! It was a real delight to work with you both. I will be happy to recommend you to anyone seeking a great real estate agent." ~ Sandra

"Aviva was so creative and professional in selling my house. She even made the process fun! She did an amazing job and I am so thankful for all her hard work." ~ Paige

"Dana has always been supportive and helpful - and more importantly never hesitates to tell us when we are going in the wrong direction. She helped us find the PERFECT forever home!"

"Steve Heiselman was always available for me by phone or in person. That's a real good experience."

"Aviva was incredible! She is hardworking & focused. She treated us just like family." ~ Reta & Jeffrey

"Robbie was a great guy & very professional. As an out of town buyer, Robbie made our experience as easy as possible. Very knowledgeable and easily approachable, he helped us with every aspect of the buying process."

"Cindy Norris will not let you down. If you're looking for property she's the standout realtor!" ~ Bryan R.

"Lorraine went above and beyond to get me into an amazing home. I couldn't imagine a better person to have on my side for one of life's most stressful processes."

"Jennifer Keleher is one of the best real estate agents with whom I've worked. I knew before the end of my first face-to-face meeting with her that she was the right agent for this sale, and I was right!
Jennifer is professional and takes care of her clients. She supported me throughout every delay that came up during the final days to closing -- I think the closing date changed three times, and it was no fault of hers! I highly recommend Jennifer and Town and Mountain Realty for your Asheville area real estate needs. Thank you!!" ~ Debra L.

"We have known Ben (Mansell) for a long time; he sold us the house we live in 10 years ago. He is patient, professional and knowledgable. He works so well with all types of folks and situations, and has amazing industry knowledge."

"Lorraine was very efficient and professional and made many helpful suggestions. We enjoyed working with her and would highly recommend her. She made the process very pleasant." ~ Marilyn S.

"Leah has been an amazing realtor to work with, both professionally and personally. It was a true pleasure to work with her at every step of this very big life transition. I was out of state when I p ut my house on the market, and she was my lifeline for staging and facilitating all aspects of the selling process. Leah made herself fully available above and beyond standard expectations, accommodating our four hour time difference and being my point person for the on-site wrap up that I couldn't be present for. Considering that I called Town and Mountain Realty based on a Google search, and [...]

"I felt very comfortable working with Michael and Jennifer. I felt that they were honest and knowledgeable. Buying raw land was a new concept to me and they were very helpful in everything from what an easement is to what type of trees were growing on the land. I feel like I made my first friends in North Carolina!!! Could not be happier!" ~ Kathy B.

"Luiz showed professionalism, attentiveness, and care throughout the process. I was thrilled with the experience and will highly recommend him."

"I came from out of State and Dana provided valuable insights into the different areas and communities. She really took her time with me. I never felt rushed or that I was inconveniencing her. I feel like I went through the buying process with a great realtor and came out of it with a great friend! I would highly recommend Dana for any real estate needs!" ~ Debra O.

"Gretchen went above and beyond. We closed several weeks ago and she's still on the job. Gretchen went from agent to friend. How's that for service?" ~Alan

"Chris helped me buy my first home which was very long and complicated. I had been renting a home for 5 years and loved the location. When I was offered to buy the home, I was rather undecided if I wanted to buy my rental l or if I wanted to upgrade to something newer. The home was older and needed a lot of TLC so I reached out to Chris from a referral and he came over and walked through the house with me. Because I wasn’t sure what to expect and was undecided on purchasing the rental, Chris was so helpful and so calming. He took the time to show me homes in the zip code I wanted, he [...]

"What a great land search-to-purchase experience with Kat. Couldn't have been better, easier or more fun! We are so grateful for a delightful process and the land of our dreams!"

"Beth is the best of the best. From the get-go, she intuitively knew where I felt comfortable in Asheville. She stuck by me and found [...]

"We are moving from out of state, and Beth was always available and ready to show us around. She provided much needed information and made extra effort to plan ahead for our visits. She made the effort to get to know us, which really helped in the process and great communication during the entire process too. Everyone at Town & Mountain could not have been nicer or more accommodating, and Beth is a warm, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable realtor. We will be very happy to recommend her." ~ Kathy B.

"Steve was efficient and effective. Very impressed that when he asked a neighbor if he could take a photo of the view from his property
and was told, "no", he then sold that neighbor our property! I knew from my first conversation with Steve that he was going to be
the guy that would sell the property that the two prior agents failed to do. It was very clear, Steve didn't just want to be the listing
agent, he wanted to sell the property. Job well done!" ~ [...]

"It was a pleasure working with Beverly Young. She proved to be a conscientious agent with customer service at the top of her agenda. Thanks Beverly!" ~ James and Diana S.

"Sue was professional and fun. She helped us find what we wanted in a home and was great at negotiating for what we wanted. She also helped us understand the ins and outs of buying a home." ~ Melissa R.

"It was a pleasure to work with Steve Heiselman. He worked with us for a very long time, guided us through the process and explained all the NC issues. We hope to maintain friendship with him and his family when we settle in Asheville and also we surely will recommend his services to all our friends who may decide to follow us. Our gratitude extends also to all the people of Town and Mountain Realty. We enjoyed working with you all."

~ Mark L. and Maria S.

"Susan Young did a great job in every possible way. Words cannot express how grateful I am to her for managing such a difficult transaction." ~ [...]

"I have purchased a number of homes in my life, and Beth is absolutely the best realtor I have worked with. I lived 1000 miles from my new city, so I relied heavily on Beth to provide insight and factual information, give honest feedback and push the process to completion. She offered good judgment, without pushing me, which helped me make wise decisions in choosing the right home. Beth apparently knows everybody in town, so was able to connect me with service providers who were anxious to do good work with minimal hassle. She went out of her way to answer every question and represent my [...]

"Robbie is FANTASTIC!"

"My wife and I could not have asked for a better experience than the one provided to us by Amanda Boren. Amanda went out of her way to help us with every aspect of purchasing a new home. My wife and I are both very grateful for the outstanding job that Amanda did for us. Amanda also provided help in areas of the home buying process that are not part of the realtors job. She does not pressure you during the process, is very honest, and works very hard to help find the house that fits you. I would recommend Amanda to anyone buying a house, and am very glad that we were able to have her as our [...]

"We had a great experience selling our house with Jody every step of the way. He provided thorough explanations, solid advice on repairs and pricing, and quick responses to any questions. Jody helped us set a price that was competitive but attractive enough to generate a lot of viewings immediately. As a result, we ended up getting well above asking price in only 48 hours! He was excellent at helping us to prioritize multiple offers and took care of all of the pre-closing tasks so we could concentrate on our move. Cannot recommend Jody highly enough!" ~Melissa B.

"Kat was very thorough, helpful, and a real pleasure to work with. She made the whole experience a lot smoother and less stressful. We truly enjoyed working with her."

"Jody did an excellent job helping me find and buy my first home. He took care of everything for me and made the process of buying a house painless. I kept wondering when I was going to have t o start stressing out and it never happened! He is a true professional at what he does - taking care of his client! Go buy a house and use Jody." ~Cody K.

"Leah was great!! The Miller team is the perfect mix of honesty and gentle sales. They give you the freedom buyers/sellers want and [...]